Is Feed Mode just a gimmick?

[joncm102]

I prefer using feed mode as it allows me to target feed certain corals and keep the food in my system for longer with the return pump turned off and more of my smaller fish have a chance to get food as well then after ten minutes the return pump turns on automatically. Helps me not be forgetful!

As to comment if its a gimmick or not I have to disagree.
Its a option for reefers who choose to use it. Some may like it others wont use it but its there!
Its like getting ketchup in your to go bag without asking, but you might need it you might not...

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I too have a mandarin, and since they are the slowest eaters on earth, and I supplement the pods with brrine and mysis. Plus I spot feed. So I want all pumps off for about 15 minutes. Then I have my power heads turn on to kick everything back into the water column for the fish and corals. The 15 minutes later, the sumps come back on.

This keeps food going into the filters at a minimum and serves to ensure different types of eaters get fed.

Given the rats nest of wires to plug and unplug, feed mode on a controller is a game changer.

 

[JCOLE]

I don't see it as a Gimmick. It is an easy option to shut things down. I don't use feed mode when I feed pellets throughout the day. I have the Two little Fishies feeding ring that allows the pellets to drop into my powerheads. Doing it this way does not result in food going into the overflows.

However, I always use a feed mode when I feed frozen and coral food. I have it set up in my Apex and programmed so when I hit Feed Mode B it shuts down my return pump for 30 minutes. During the first 10 minutes all the powerheads are on to help distribute all the frozen food and coral food. I broadcast a mixture of Reef Roids, Benereef, and Coral snow. Then they shut down the remainder of the time to all corals to help consume the food. Intermittently the powerheads will turn back on every 5 minutes for 30 seconds to help stir up any food and allow the fish to consume some more. All powerheads will kick back on 1 minute before the return pump to help stir everything back up.

This has worked great for me since implementing this feature.

 

[K7BMG]

I prefer using feed mode as it allows me to target feed certain corals and keep the food in my system for longer with the return pump turned off and more of my smaller fish have a chance to get food as well then after ten minutes the return pump turns on automatically. Helps me not be forgetful!

As to comment if its a gimmick or not I have to disagree.
Its a option for reefers who choose to use it. Some may like it others wont use it but its there!
Its like getting ketchup in your to go bag without asking, but you might need it you might not...

Ha Ha Ketchup huh.
I will never touch the stuff. Worked at Hunt's Wesson, for a while.
I don't knowingly eat bugs, and I know I will eat bugs if I eat Ketchup, amongst other disgusting things.

 

[AlexG]

Lots of great responses. I find that some food going down the overflow is not much of an issue for my setup since I really don't use filter socks other than for an experiment to see how big the sponges will grow int them. I have plenty of pods and mysid shrimp that will consume any excess food that makes it to the sump. I will agree though that there are certain setups where food getting into the sump will cause issues. I do practice shutting down my powerheads when mounting frags as the random high flow tends to knock them over before the glue cures.

 

[Arabyps]

Feed mode is very important. It facilitates having the food remain in the tank for a sufficient period for the livestock to eat it and not have it drawn into the filtration system before they can consume it. When I use feed mode the pumps are off for 10 minutes and the skimmer for 30.

 

[Scdell]

I've never used it. Nothing stops the flow in nature. My fish know it's feeding time and they're waiting for it. Attack mode. Then they swim around to get all the morsels.

 

[Plecosam]

Feed mode might not be necessary for some tanks, but on my tanks if I do not do something about flow most, if not all of the food ends up in the sump.

 

[X-37B]

Its an option that I dont use.
I used it on my nano as the skimmer would go crazy.
On my 120 the with the Tunze 9410 I dont need to use the feed mode even when I clean the cup.
If you have a feed mode you at least have the option.

 

[|sCRIBe|]

I never use feed mode since I like my water completely still while I target feed the coral. Feed mode still keeps the pumps moving, it’s not for me.

 

[ca1ore]

Agree, not a gimmick ... just mostly unnecessary. I’ve used it nearly once. I actually pour the thawed food directly into my MP60. Gets it moving and distributed around so that everybody gets some. I don’t doubt that some of it gets into the rocks or over the weir (though less, I suspect, than folks think), but the crabs, worms and stars need food too.

Of course, I have 100 odd pigs with fins in my tank, so not much hits the rocks or the sand.

 

[tehmadreefer]

I use feed mode when feeding pellets so they don’t get buried somewhere in my 180. After the fish that eat the pellets are done, I then turn off feed mode to disperse frozen.

Feed mode on jebaos is off.